1. To deploy an AWAC mooring at position 56° 13.291185 N 02° 3.739006 W;
2. During daylight hours (approximately 16 hours per day), to carry out bird and marine mammal observations along transects running E/W from Firth of Forth. Positions will be provided later;
3. To carry out towed CTD lines along the transects briefly detailed in 2 above;
4. To run the EK60 echosounder along the transect lines briefly detailed in 2 above;
5. To carry out water sampling from the start and end of every transect;
6. To occupy selected stations overnight and collect environmental data (temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, current speed and direction) by means of ADCP profiles, CTD dips and carousel deployments.

Narrative

All staff will join Scotia on the evening of 19 July, allowing the vessel to depart Aberdeen Harbour as early as possible on the morning of 20 July. After the completion of safety drills, exercises and gear testing off Stonehaven, Scotia will make her way to a position at the Firth of Forth where the towed body with mounted CTD will be deployed. The vessel will then steam east and make for the mooring position. A vertical CTD cast and water sampling will be carried out at this site and the AWAC mooring laid.

On completion of these tasks, Scotia will steam along transect lines logging data on the towed CTD and from the EK60 echosounder and collecting water samples from the start and end of the transect. As daylight drops below levels required for effective seabird and marine mammal observation, Scotia will stop and remain on station overnight, position to be decided at the time, collecting water samples, CTD and ADCP data.

The following morning, Scotia will deploy the towed body and recommence EK60 and CTD data collection, bird/mammal observations and water sampling along further transect lines. This sequence of working along transects during daylight and sampling at a fixed station overnight will continue until 23 July when Scotia will stop all scientific work and return to Aberdeen, docking early on the morning of 24 July. Scientific equipment and samples will be offloaded and scientific crew will depart the vessel. Normal cantacts will be maintained with the laboratory.